Lofgren helps Carolina League take All-Star win

Published in Sports on June 28, 2006 2:24 PM

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SALEM, Va. -- Kinston's Chuck Lofgren worked his way out of a jam in the first inning and K-Tribe outfielder Brian Barton went 1-for-4 with a double as the Carolina League doubled up the California League 6-3 in Tuesday night's All-Star game.

Four Kinston players were named to the Carolina League squad. Reliever Joe Ness gave up a run in one inning of work, while K-Tribe starter Scott Lewis didn't get into the contest.

Nolan Reimold followed Nick Markakis to become the second consecutive Frederick Keys' outfielder to walk away with Carolina/California League MVP honors. Reimold went 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI and a run scored as the Carolina League improved to 5-3 all-time against their counterparts from the West.

A gloomy forecast for Tuesday night combined with heavy rain and flooding in the Roanoke, Va. area over the last several days could not postpone the Carolina/California League All-Star Game for the first time in its eight-year history and its first trip to Virginia.

After the rain stopped the Cal League wasted no time breaking a two-year old scoreless slump, as Matt Miller (Modesto) singled off Lofgren to score Yung Chi Chen (Inland Empire), to take a 1-0 lead. Lofgren would work his way out of the jam retiring two with runners on second and third base.

The Carolina League answered quickly in the bottom of the first inning, as Barton doubled off the right field wall and a Cal League error allowed Brian Bixler (Lynchburg) to score and Barton to advance to third. It proved to be a costly mistake one batter later, as Chris Kelly's (Winston-Salem) sacrifice fly scored Barton to give Carolina a 2-1 lead.

The Carolina League extended their lead in the second inning when Trey Webb (Wilmington), who replaced Paco Figueroa in the starting lineup doubled to left field to score Salem's Lou Santangelo (Salem).

In the top of the fourth the Cal League closed the gap, as Chris Rahl (Lancaster) doubled to score Chase Headley (Lake Elsinore). But it would be all Carolina League from then on.

Reimold doubled off the centerfield wall in the bottom of the sixth inning to drive in Bixler. Reimold and Kelly scored one batter later on Beau Torbert's (Salem) single to put the Carolina League in front 6-2.

Radhames Liz (Frederick) allowed two hits in the next half inning, but Liz got Rahl to ground into a double play to hold the Cal League scoreless. Reid Brignac (Visalia) would get the Cal League back on the board, driving in his teammate John Jasso (Visalia) in the top of the seventh inning. Neither team would get on the board from that point to preserve the Carolina League victory. Brignac earned California League Star of the game.

Chad Reineke (Salem) earned the win tossing a scoreless second inning. Rodrigo Escobar (Salem) earned the save tossing a scoreless ninth inning. Jose Arredondo (Rancho Cucamonga) took the loss, allowing two runs on three hits in his inning of work.

Reineke, Lucas Harrell (Winston-Salem), Kelvin Villa (Myrtle Beach), Liz, Fernando Hernandez Jr. (Winston-Salem), and Escobar each tossed a scoreless inning for the Carolina League.